Log-rafting appliance.



PATENTED MAY 28, 1907. M. P. BROWN. LOG RAPTING APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.18, 1906 lvihwoaza flmmm ETERS CD WASHIN TON, D-

MICHAEL F. BROWN, OF SEATTLE, IVASHINGTQN.

LOG-RAFTING APPLIANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28, 1907.

Application fi1ed December 18, 90a. smart). 348,472.

To aZZ whom it may concern: Be it known that I, hIIGHAEL F. BROWN, acitlzen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of Kingand State of I IVashington, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Log-Rafting Appliances and I do hereby declare thefollowing I ing appliances, and more particularly to the means forconnecting the various booms employed for retaining the logs in a raft.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a novel connectingmeans between the tow stick of the outer raft and the head boom of theinner raft which will enable the inner raft to be readily adjusted toany desired position within the outer raft.

A further object is the provision of means for protecting the jointsbetween the side booms of the outer raft and preventing the same frombeing clogged or disarranged by external objects.

The invention also contemplates means for preventing the rear boom ofthe outer raft from turning upon its axis in such a manner as to injurethe connecting means employed for securing it to the side booms.

\Vith these and other objects in view, the invention comprises certainnovel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts as will behereinafter more fully de scribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing :Figure 1 is atop plan view of a loggingraft formed in accordance with the present invention, portions beingbroken away. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view showing the chains employed forconnecting the head raft stick of the inner raft to the tow stick of theouter raft. Fig. 3 is an enlarged, perspective view of the hook locatedat one end of the chain.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the outer raft whichis composed of the side booms 2, the rear cross boom 3, and the towstick 4, the adjacent ends of the said members being loosely connectedin any approved manner, as by means of the chains or cables 5. Asuitable line, such as 6, is shown as connected to the tow stick 4 forthe purpose of towing the raft. Arranged within the outer raft 1 is theinner raft 7, the head raft stick 8 of-which is located adjacent the towstick 4 of the outer raft and loosely connected thereto by means of thelinks 9. found desirable cross booms or binders 10 which extendtransversely across the raft and are loosely connected to the side booms2 of the outer raft may be employed, and serve to prevent the escape ofthe logs confined within the rafts over the outer booms.

The links 9 employed for connecting the head stick 8 of the inner raftto the tow stick 4 of the outer raft are in the nature of chains 1].having rings or eyes 12 at one end thereof and hooks 13 at the oppositeend thereof. In the application of the links 9 it will be observed thatthe chain 11 is passed through the ring 12 at one end thereof to form aloop which extends around one of the members being connected, while thehook 13 is passed around the opposite member and brought into engagementwith an intermediate portion of the chain 11. The engaging portion ofthe hook 13 is preferably in the nature of a claw, as will be clearlyapparent from Fig. 3, and comprises two spaced arms adapted to fit uponopposite sides of one of the chain links and engage with an end of anadjacent link. The shank of the hook 13 is provided with locking meanswhereby the same is held closely against the chain in such a manner as.

to prevent disengagement of the hook 13 therefrom. For this purpose theshank is preferably flattened as indicated at 14 and provided with apair of perforations for the reception of a U bolt 15 constituting thelocking means. As shown in the accompanying drawings the chain loopformed with the ring 12 passes around the tow stick 4 While the loopformed by the hook 13 extends around the head raft stickSf Owing to thedifferent lengths of logs being towed it is often necessary to permitthe inner rafting head stick to be slacked off so that the rear end ofthe inner raft will approach the rear boom stick of the outer raft. Theconnecting chain 11 is accordingly made a sufficient length to permitthis slacking 0H and the hook-holds the adjustment where desired, the Ubolt 15 constituting a locking means which prevents the claws of thehook from releasing the link of the chain.

The joints between the side booms 2 of the outer raft are prevented frombeing clogged or injured by external means through the medium of theguard members 16 which are in the nature of blocks secured to one of thebooms and projecting beyond the joint. In

the preferred construction of the blocks 16 they are given anapproximately wedge shape, the smaller or reduced end being spiked orotherwise rigidly connected to one of the booms 2, while the enlargedend projects beyond the joint in such a manner as to prevent the jointsfrom becoming fouled with rocks, piles or similar agencies along thepath where the raft is being towed.

Considerable annoyance is frequently oc- I casioned by the tendency ofthe rear cross boom 3 of the outerraft to revolve upon its longitudinalaxis and thereby twist the connecting chains by means of which it issecured to the side hook in such a manner as to injure the joint. Thisdifliculty is obviated in the present invention by spiking or other wiserigidly connecting to the crossboom 3 a 1 system of blocks or floats l7.The weight of the floats 17 serve to prevent the boom from turning inone direction, and their buoyancy prevent the boom from turning in theopposite direction.

By the term chain as used in the specification and claims, I wish to beunderstood as including any form of flexible connecting member.

Having thus fully described my invention,

ends secured to the booms while their larger ends project over thejoints between the booms. I

3. In a logging raft, the combination of an outer raft, an inner raft, achain connecting the tow stick of the outer raft to the head stick ofthe inner raft, an eye at one end-of the chain, a hook at the oppositeend of the chain adapted to engage an intermediate portion thereof, anda U bolt carried by the hook and engaging the chain to preventaccidental releasing of the hook.

In testimony whereof I'affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MICHAEL F. BROWN.

Witnesses:

G. WARD KEMP, MARK VVHELAN.

-, may,

